


Welcome Shopkeep

by TheCobraOfHell



Series: Another Path [2]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Multi, Past Character Death, Red Plague (The Arcana), References to Depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 11:07:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18409382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCobraOfHell/pseuds/TheCobraOfHell
Summary: Certainly not a popular shop, but not obscure either, you’ve never stepped foot inside of the shop simply named ‘Tea and Herbs’. Every time you’ve passed it a Maine Coon was perched just beside the sign reading ‘Open’ in the shop window, as if beckoning you to come in. Perhaps now is a good time to see what this shop holds?{In a route where, instead of soul searching with Asra, you've found mysteries from the past through an unlikely source- the shopkeep just a few doors down from your own shop. You find the object of your affections in him- Weston Alk, a capable tea shop owner with an affinity to nature yet somehow estranged from his own spirit. Together, maybe you'll discover the deeper realms of the arcane and help release him from the shackles of his past.}





	Welcome Shopkeep

_Pomegranate juice… all I need is pomegranate juice._

I don’t want to admit that this plan came to fruition almost out of no where, but I had to act quick. With the dinner coming up, with everything slowly coming together, this might be my only chance to bring them back…

With the party a wing away there aren’t many guests too keen on entering the dining hall. In fact, for the sake of privacy, a few guards litter these halls to coax guests away from the Countess’ quarters where she slept. Poor Nadia, hopefully with what’s about to commence she will be back to feeling herself again. I can only hope. 

But it’s with this turn into the dining hall, past the broach of two unwary guards, that I stop in my tracks and try not to run into the other being who’s here.

“Oh, Asra, nice to see you again.” He looks rather tired, the poor man, as though he’d been reading for hours on end from a strenuous subject. Yet, when he speaks to me, his voice lilts lovingly, “Why are you here? The crowd too noisy for you?”

I smile back, effortless as I respond, “Yes, thought a little exploring was more fun anyway. What about you? I thought I’d find you in the gardens.”

It’s interesting to watch Weston think. Maybe it’s just because of how we’ve acquainted that I see it, but in that moment he seems to reel back and glance away as though trying to think of why he would be here. He turns and faces the wall where a painting hangs before us. “I was looking at this-”

This painting. Oh how I despise it. The arrogance of it, the pure egotistical display is almost offensive. Lucio was so sure of himself, so sure of his plan, but what Lucio saw in this painting, and what I saw, were so much more different than what he could see. 

So I smirk and laugh. “What- you like furries?”

Weston’s chuckle back brings me back at ease. He shakes his head and sighs and, with lips parted, he works out his words. “No it’s not that. It’s the context of it… the aura. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but it just fills me with dread…” At that he slowly turns to face me, and whatever slight joy my joke had brought him was now completely gone. “I’ve been meaning to tell you that I’m sorry, Asra. I’m sorry about what happened to-”

“It’s fine.” I’m short so suddenly with him that Weston takes a step back, surprised. “Sorry. Thank you for the condolences, but it’s fine.”

Or at least it _will_ be after tonight, but Weston didn’t have to know that. He didn’t need to know a thing.


End file.
